Foster Homes for Pets Needed

Everybody knows how much I love my dog Roxie but for the past few months, I have had the urge to get another dog. I stopped by the Guilford County Animal Shelter and saw a cute but rather interesting looking, 2.25 pound, full grown, brindle italian greyhound with a chihuahua face. Roxie liked her and I wanted to take her home with me, but it wasn’t a smart move for me financially. Preventive care, training costs, and any type of emergency where something happens to the dog or I need somebody else to watch her can all add up.

A few weeks later, I heard about several shepherd mix puppies being dumped in a feral cat feeder. I tried to spread the word that the puppies needed a foster or “furever” home but after a few days, I decided I would be a foster parent and so far so good! My friend that went with me to pick the dog up named him Romeo and everywhere we go, people think that he is the cutest fluffball.

The benefits of being a foster mom are huge. For one, I satisfied the urge of having another dog without the vet costs since most shelters take care of that with adoption fees. Roxie has enjoyed having a playmate and turning my small apartment into an obstacle course for Romeo to chase her in. It is also great for Romeo’s socialization skills because he gets to be around another dog and other people since I occasionally take him to work with me.

There are also a few drawbacks; first and foremost is house training. It’s no fun at all. It requires patience and persistence. Since I am out of school for winter break and all I have to do is work, it is a lot easier since I have the time. Romeo is doing really well and goes to the bathroom every time I take him out. He cries when he needs to go out which makes it easier but he does have a few accidents when I feel a little lazy and take my time letting him out which is obviously my fault. I was a little nervous about crate training since he would whine and cry but I tried to make him associate pleasurable experiences with his crate so I feed him in there and, boy, does that dog love to eat! It took only two days to train him and he was used to it! The last drawback that I haven’t experienced just yet is letting him go when the right person wants to adopt him. I try to remember how great it was when I adopted Roxie that she was already house and crate trained. I would love to give somebody else the same experience.

If you are interested in adopting Romeo, leave a comment, tweet me @CynamonF, or email animalawareness1@hotmail.com. Please spread the word about Romeo. He is a 14 week old, very smart shepherd mix who walks great on a leash; is crate trained; already knows how to sit, shake, and lay down; and is doing great with his house training.